Is Tobias gay?

A recurring joke on Arrested Development is Tobias' more-than-likely homosexuality. In Season Four Tobias is shocked to learn the family assumes he is gay based solely on the way he acts and the words he chooses. He decides to addresses the issue but ends up further down the rabbit hole — as a convicted child predator.

Tobias befriends some local gay actors at a protest and decides to become an actor. ("Pilot")

Before Tobias tells Lindsay that he wants to be an actor, she guesses that he is going to tell her that he is gay. His response: "No. No. No, I’m not... I’m not gay. No. Lindsay, how many times must we have this... No. I want to be an actor."("Pilot")

He confuses gender repetitively when talking about Steve Holt, ending with "For the love of God, she's playing a woman."("Bringing Up Buster")

When coaching the kids to act out the romance in a more mature way, he reminds them that they are playing adults with fully-formed libidos, not "two young men playing grab-ass in the shower."("Bringing Up Buster")

When Jessie says "There are very few intelligent, attractive and straight men in this town." Tobias responds "Well, that certainly leaves me out" and attempted to save face by claiming her heard her say "single". ("Public Relations")

When Tobias attempts to explain the birds and the bees to George Michael, he uses the phrase "when a man needs to prove to a woman that he's actually..." before cutting himself off. He also states that an erection comes "with deep, deep concentration and-and great focus,"("Beef Consommé")

Lindsay confesses to Michael that she and Tobias had only had sex once in the past year, and Tobias "just lied there". ("Whistler's Mother")

When Lindsay starts dancing on top of Tobias in bed, he points to the acting book he is reading titled Acting: Like a Man and states, "I'm trying to grow." Lindsay replies that that is clearly not going to happen. ("Whistler's Mother")

Tobias tells Michael that he would not get in bed with Sofia Coppola but would get in bed with Robert Redford, and that he would not just "lie there" like he does with Lindsay. ("Whistler's Mother")

Watching the girls fromGirls With Low Self-Esteem tape, Michael asks Tobias, “Is this what you want?”referring to Maeby potentially appearing on the tape. However, Tobias responds that he is not interested in the girls, before adding that he would not want it for Maeby, either. ("Not Without My Daughter")

When Buster comes to the house because he's on furlough and everyone is out dancing with their girl, Tobias mentions "My schedule is as open as my relationship with my wife. So why don't we pair up?" ("Queen for a Day")

In the same scene Tobias mentions that he could be Buster's wingman and continues to say, "Even if it means me taking a chubby, I will suck it up." ("Queen for a Day")

Tobias brings Buster to a drag bar saying "This place is exactly what I'd hoped for." ("Queen for a Day")

Tobias was dancing with "what turned out to be" the Queen Mary's owner at the club. In his defense he says "Oh, he really, really did look like a woman." ("Queen for a Day")

The sign on the Queen Mary is changed to "Tobias is Queen Mary" after Tobias assumes ownership. This is a mistake as it should read "Tobias's Queen Mary", although instead of seeing this as the error, he mentions that it's not too bad, and he could just paint over "Mary." The sign would then read "Tobias is Queen." ("Queen for a Day")

Tobias says to Michael "I need to prove to [Lindsay] that I'm not just a man, but a man's man." ("Burning Love")

Tobias says "Oh, that is quite a basket you’ve got there, Michael." Michael seems worried by this, until he realizes that Tobias is referring to the gift basket on the table. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

Tobias makes one of his most innuendo-filled lines when he says "I’m afraid I prematurely shot my wad on what was supposed to be a dry run, if you will, so now I’m afraid I have something of a mess on my hands." ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

Tobias immediately assumes that Michael is taking him to the romantic getaway, then goes on to suggest that he will share a horseback ride with Michael, and the two will dip each other in body chocolate. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

Tobias comments on Michael setting up him and Lindsay on a romantic getaway, telling him that he's "quite the cupid," saying "I tell you, you can zing your arrow into my buttocks any time." ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

Tobias ignores Michael's comments on his poor phrasing of words, and offers him a lick of butterscotch. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

Maeby tells Michael that Tobias wanted to "thank him for the romantic getaway," and that he "left, dressed all westerny." She tells him to leave her out of that, immediately making the homosexual connection in her mind. Unfortunately, Michael says "I screwed my brother-in-law" (referring to how he's taking advantage of him), which only furthers Maeby's suspicions. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

Tobias mentions that Jeff, the horse-worker at the Four Seas hotel, doubts Lindsay is coming. Michael reveals that Lindsay is not coming, so Tobias ends up taking the horseback ride with Michael. Later, Tobias says "Well, you certainly didn’t help my reputation as a ladies man with Jeff. But we’ll clear all that up in the spa when I get my facial." ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

To make the horse go faster, Tobias slaps Michael's buttocks rather than the horse's. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

Tobias offers Michael body chocolate, which he also did to two total strangers earlier in the episode, regardless of the fact that one of them was male. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

Michael mentions that he used the word "afraid" in the Jacuzzi, to which Tobias replies "And I apologize for that. I thought it was a pool toy." ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

When Tobias listens to his tape recordings, he can't see what's wrong with the line "even it means me taking a chubby, I will suck it up," which was also used in "Queen for a Day". The next recording is "Oh, I’ve been in the film business for a while, but I just can’t seem to get one in the can," where Tobias merely says it's out of context. The last recording is simply "I wouldn’t mind kissing that man between the cheeks," which can simply not be interpreted in any other way. However, Tobias misses this too, and calls himself a "blowhard," adding even more to the innuendo. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")

When agreeing to break into Maggie's house, he says that he and Lindsay will be like (Spencer) Tracey and (Kathrine) Hepburn, and then proceeds to imitate Hepburn. ("Out on a Limb")

Dave Attell says that if Tobias is straight, then he is sober. ("Motherboy XXX")

When George Sr. confronts Tobias in the attic, Tobias licks his hand. ("Motherboy XXX")

He refers to himself as "she" when disguised as Mrs. Featherbottom, telling Maeby, "I'm sure wherever your father is right now, she loves you very, very much." ("The Immaculate Election")

The name Tobias makes up for himself is "Felitia Featherbottom," the first name being very similar to the word fellatio. ("The Immaculate Election")

When analyzing Michael, he talks of taking off his assistant's skirt and donning a Barbara-Streisand-in-the-Prince-of-Tides-ass-masking therapist pantsuit. ("Sword of Destiny")

When reassuring the Bluth Company employees that Michael is in good health, he remarks that his buttocks looked "as fresh and firm as a Georgia peach." ("Sword of Destiny")

In the hospital, he speculates about Michael's illness, saying it could be his colon, and he'd want to "get in there and find some answers." ("Sword of Destiny")

As Mrs. Featherbottom, he asks if anyone would like a "banger in the mouth," referring to sausages. He then quickly corrects himself, saying that he forgot that he was in the states, where it is referred to as a "sausage in the mouth." ("Meat the Veals")

Also as Mrs. Featherbottom, he mentions that he's "stuffing the mushrooms." ("Meat the Veals")

Tobias jumps at the chance to film men flashing for Lindsay's Men with Low Self-Esteem video. Buster comments that he just wants to see boys' "Linuses" (penises). ("Spring Breakout")

While filming Men with Low Self-Esteem, he yells, "Let's see some bananas and nuts!" ("Spring Breakout")

Tobias says that he was "too busy on his knees in front of a toilet" to be working. ("Righteous Brothers")

Tobias later says he found a "wonderful circle of men" to get him through an embarrassing incident. ("Righteous Brothers")

When Tobias believes he's been replaced, he says to Michael "I see you wasted no time in filling my seat-hole." ("Righteous Brothers")

As Tobias approaches Michael in Swallows, he says, "May I interest you in a smoothie or an amyl--Michael!" The word after "amyl" is probably "nitrite," referring to poppers, a popular recreational drug among gay men. ("The Cabin Show")

Tobias's nametag has his name followed by that of the restaurant, thus reading "Tobias Swallows," a reference to fellatio. ("The Cabin Show")

When talking about his relationship with Kitty, he says "with all the sexual intercourse," as if it were foreign to him. ("The Cabin Show")

Regarding G.O.B.'s illusion (which G.O.B. has described as "a spectacular protest — a protest-acular"), Tobias says "I so very much would like to be in your prostate-icular," as in prostate-tickler. ("For British Eyes Only")

Tobias says that he is "buy-curious" (obviously pronounced "bi-curious") while in the costume shop, and he also misses the double meaning of 'TV' while in conversation with the sales clerk. She uses it to refer to transvestites. ("For British Eyes Only")

Tobias wears a woman's 'bob' wig mistakenly believing that 'bob' refers to the male name, rather than to the woman's hair style. ("For British Eyes Only")

Tobias expresses a wish to "taste those meaty leading man parts in my mouth" during the prep for G.O.B.'s illusion. ("For British Eyes Only")

The costume beak G.O.B. acquires for his illusion has a prominent wattle that resembles testicles. When Tobias is wearing the beak in the cage, the fake wattle hangs down over his mouth. ("For British Eyes Only")

He refers to himself as an "analrapist", a half-analyst, half-therapist (and Buster is more shocked by the word rather than the pronunciation when Tobias tries to correct it). ("Forget-Me-Now")

In order to help Buster overcome his inferiority to his mother, Tobias dresses up as her and at one point is seen wearing her bra. ("Forget-Me-Now")

Tobias says about Ann, "Within her lies a queen. Let me out that queen." ("Notapusy")

When helping Ann with the inner beauty pageant, Tobias tells her "You need to decide whether you want a man or a boy. I know how I'd answer." ("Notapusy")

While Tobias is in the gym with Frank, he acts as though he's attracted to him, offering to take him out to dinner, and behaving in a flirtatious manner around him. ("Mr. F")

When Frank says "I think we can be more than just gym buddies," Tobias responds with "You’re blowing my mind, Frank." Tobias acts surprised and nervous when Frank reveals that he wants to work with him, with Tobias saying "I’m so glad you went first." ("Mr. F")

Tobias says that Frank has the "same size" and "same curly hair" as Michael. However, Michael doesn't have curly hair, and Tobias is clearly pointing to a place lower than Michael's head when he says this, while Michael is off-screen changing his pants. ("Mr. F")

Tobias seems to know the location of the moles on Frank's body very well. ("Mr. F")

Tobias tests the levels by repeating the phrase "Let Lily lick Lionel's lusty leathers" over and over again. ("Mr. F")

Tobias thinks the British are saying he’s a tourist when they call him a “poofter,” which, in reality, is slang for a homosexual. ("The Ocean Walker")

Tobias is in a wheelchair, holding a video camera. When Michael asks what he's doing in a wheelchair, Tobias says that it's a dolly to help videotape his nuptials. Michael realizes that Tobias is pointing the camera at his crotch, and tells Tobias that he doesn't need any footage of Michael's "nuptials". ("The Ocean Walker")

Tobias wonders why Warden Gentiles is interested in Lucille, saying "The guy runs a prison, he can have any piece of ass he wants." ("Prison Break-In")

Tobias refers to Bob Loblaw as the "best-looking lawyer". ("Making a Stand")

As an expression of gratitude, Tobias offers to accompany Bob Loblaw to a shvitz, the Yiddish term for a steam bath. ("Making a Stand")

After hearing about Bob Loblaw's law blog, he tells him that "You, sir, are a mouthful!" (The narrator segues by saying, "While Tobias was trying to get his mouth around Bob Loblaw...") ("Making a Stand")

Tobias refers to the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz as the "Steel Man." When Michael corrects him, Lindsay says "He knows," implying that Tobias deliberately said the wrong thing in an effort to appear straight. ("S.O.B.s")

Tobias calls George Michael a "Freddie Wilson" who is a member of a fictional Village People-esque band - who were said to be gay. ("S.O.B.s")

Tobias sees himself as a 'mother' when Maeby acts out of line. "Lindsay: She should be punished for this. You know, Tobias, if I can become a more traditional mother, then maybe you could start being more of a... Tobias: Non-traditional mother. Yes, you’re right. After all, I am her father." ("S.O.B.s")

Tobias is listening to a gay song called "Discipline Daddy." ("S.O.B.s")

Tobias wants to wear lipstick and eyeliner when he is preparing his gift bags for casting directors. ("S.O.B.s")

When Michael goes over witness list he says "Well, they’ve got one guy who won’t be talking. That is unless there's a hand inside of him." and Tobias replies "Oh, please, Michael. Even then, I wouldn’t say anything." ("Fakin' It")

Tobias has a stack of bodybuilding magazines in the secret room and mysteriously disposes of a plastic bag while entering. ("Fakin' It")

Tobias' new "friend" is a hunky bodybuilding priest who is protesting for the right for priests to marry. ("Fakin' It")

To the question "Are you coming out?", Tobias says he's going to fight to keep his marriage alive (Michael was referring to the secret room but Tobias took it as meaning out of the closet). ("Fakin' It")

When referring to a confusion between male and female Tobias says "in the dark it all looks the same." ("Fakin' It")

Lindsay suggests leaving the "fruits" (Tobias and Father Ben) with the "vegetables" (comatose patients). ("Fakin' It")

Lucille and George call Tobias a woman, and refer to him as "Nellie", as does the maitre 'd at the hotel bar. ("Family Ties")

Tobias mentions being "jacked up on amyl and disco music", two things stereotypically related to homosexual men. ("Family Ties")

After Michael says, "I can't stand to hear one more lie out of this family," Tobias enters in the background and says, referring to Lindsey, "There's the woman I'm sexually attracted to", after which Michael says "Okay, but that's the last one". ("Family Ties")

Tobias calls sex 'heterosexual intercourse.' Michael corrects him and says that he can just call it intercourse. ("Family Ties")

At the meeting with the prosecutor Wayne Jarvis, thinking it's an audition for a CBS TV show, Tobias recites from Magnolia: "A flower in my garden, a mystery in my panties." ("Exit Strategy")

Tobias is wearing Maeby's suit, presumably unaware that it is a woman's suit, only made in a woman's size. ("Exit Strategy")

Tobias spoons Michael while lying next to him in bed, and does so for a further 20 minutes while deciding to be Events Coordinator. ("Development Arrested")

Tobias ponders changing the Hot Cops theme for the party to 'Hot Sailors', and Michael interrupts him when deciding on 'Hot Seamen'. Michael says that he likes 'Hot Sailors' and Tobias enthusiastically concurs. ("Development Arrested")

During the speech at the party, Tobias and Lindsay stand separated by the Hot Sailors. ("Development Arrested")

When the narrator points out that Michael's crying is "not exactly a turn-on", the camera cuts to Tobias' face, which is visibly disgusted. ("Development Arrested")

Tobias sings "It's just a fallacy!" (sounding like, "It's just a phallus, see?") at the harbormaster's lodge. (4x5 — "A New Start") In fact, as that scene appears in this episode, Netflix captions have Tobias singing "It's justa phallus...see!" The line is "fallacy" when the scene appears in "Indian Takers."

Tobias says "For 2,000 rupees, we'd both go down on Matthew McConaughey" to Michael while talking about India and Rupees. ("A New Start")

Tobias's license plate reads ANUSTART, which is supposed to be read as "a new start", but everybody else refers it as "anus tart". (4x5 — "A New Start")[

Tobias also says at the meeting "I've got a bit of a stick up my 'bunghole' about what I've now found is a running joke about me." He said that right after being accused of being gay. In Tobias's next line he then says,"For 2000 rupees, we'd both go down on Matthew McConaughey. (chuckles) Yes Michael?" (4x5 — "A New Start")

Tobias says to DeBrie at the hospital "When I first saw Straightbait, there were two men making love, but i couldn't take my eyes off of you." (4x5 — "A New Start")

When on the street performing with DeBrie as members of the Fantastic Four, a man tells his kid that they are the Ambiguously Gay Duo. Tobias then corrects him saying there is nothing ambiguous about him, and not correcting the gay part. Tobias then tells him that he is a human flamer. (4x9 — "Smashed")

Portia de Rossi: I can’t imagine that [Tobias] would ever think of himself as anything but this guy who is in an unfortunate marriage to a woman that doesn’t really love him. I don’t think that Tobias would ever think of himself as gay, and that’s what makes it funny. It is a huge credit to the writing and to David [Cross].